IT was business as usual at Middlesbrough yesterday, with Chris Wilder taking training at Rockliffe Park despite intense speculation linking him with the vacant managerial position at Bournemouth.

Wilder is the bookmakers’ favourite to take over at the Vitality Stadium, but senior Middlesbrough sources remain adamant there has been no formal approach from the Cherries requesting permission to speak to the Boro boss.

Wilder took charge of yesterday morning’s training session as preparations continue for Saturday’s return to Championship action at Coventry City, with the club fully expecting him to be in the dug-out at the Coventry Building Society Arena this weekend as Boro look to haul themselves out of the Championship’s bottom three.

The speculation linking him with the Bournemouth job began to build over the weekend, and has intensified significantly in the last 24 hours as his price with the bookmakers has collapsed.

Wilder was widely available at around 8-1 in the market for the next Bournemouth boss on Sunday afternoon, but bookmakers began slashing their prices on Sunday night and he was no bigger than 1-3 to take over at the Vitality Stadium for most of yesterday morning. He remained a strong favourite last night.

Gary O’Neil has been performing caretaker managerial duties since Scott Parker was dismissed, and was in charge of the Cherries for their last game before the international break, a 1-1 draw with Newcastle United at St James’ Park.

O’Neil hopes to be appointed on a permanent basis, but Bournemouth’s board have always intended to assess some external candidates and Wilder has been touted as a possible contender from the moment Parker was relieved of his role earlier this month.

The situation on the south coast is complicated by the fact that Bournemouth are in the midst of ongoing takeover talks. The club’s owner, Maxim Denim, is reportedly involved in advanced discussions that could see the club sold to American NHL franchise owner Bill Foley.

Foley is understood to be keen to purchase a 100 per cent stake of the Premier League club, and is keen to complete the proposed takeover before the start of the World Cup.

It is Foley than the members of the current board that is understood to be driving Bournemouth's interest in Wilder.

Amid such an uncertain backdrop, it is perhaps no surprise that Bournemouth’s managerial situation has been on hold for a number of weeks, with Denim seemingly having to run any long-term decisions past Foley before they can be rubber-stamped.

Wilder’s own position in the North-East has been coming under increased scrutiny in the last few weeks, with Boro currently in the relegation zone after a poor start to the Championship season.

Last season, Wilder was heavily linked with a possible move to Burnley, and refused to rule out a switch to Turf Moor on two separate occasions when he was asked about the speculation.